Climatic change and aboriginal burning in north-east Australia during the last two glacial/interglacial cycles

Long palynological records from continental deposits may be divided into two categories: Detailed sequences seldom extending back much further than the most recent interglacial^1-3, and more generalized or discontinuous sequences which cover all or a substantial part of the Quaternary^4-6. I present here a record which is unusual in that it provides, in some detail, changes through a period considered to embrace the last two glacial/interglacial cycles. It provides the opportunity to compare the results of climatically-induced changes at corresponding stages within the two cycles and also to assess the impact of Aboriginal people on the vegetation. People have been present in Australia for the past 40,000 years⁷ and possibly as long ago as the last interglacial period⁸, but are unlikely to have been present before this.